Chemical Engineering is the engineering discipline which makes extensive use of chemical transformations in addition to physical transformations to achieve added value. Because all manufacturing involves chemical transformations in one way or another, chemical engineers are employed in virtually all manufacturing industries, from the basic chemical, materials, energy, food, pharmaceutical and microelectronics industries to the myriad consumer products industries.
Students in the MS in Chemical Engineering program will take a number of advanced courses in key fundamental chemical engineering areas such as transport phenomena, applied mathematics, thermodynamics, kinetics and reaction engineering. In addition, students will select a number of electives courses to develop knowledge and expertise in specialized fields such as energy engineering, materials engineering, bioengineering, environmental engineering, engineering design, and control management.
International Students: This program is eligible for the OPT STEM extension.
Please Note: Requirements for graduation, course offerings, course availability, track offerings and any other degree requirements are subject to change. Students should consult with an academic advisor prior to registering for any classes.- A minimum of 28 units is required to earn the M.S. in Chemical Engineering degree
- Required Core Courses: 12 units
- Required Elective Core Courses: 6 units
- Required Seminar Courses: 1 unit (0, 1 unit for two semesters)
- Elective Courses: 9 units (must be approved by department)
- A minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is required for graduation
Detailed Program Curriculum and RequirementsSchedule of ClassesAPPLICATION DEADLINES| SEMESTER | DEADLINE |
|---|
| Summer 2019 (Deadline to submit the Statement of Intent) | March 15, 2019 |
| Fall 2019 (Scholarship Consideration Deadline) | December 15, 2018 |
| Fall 2019 (Final Deadline) | January 15, 2019 |
| Fall 2019 (Deadline to submit the Statement of Intent) | May 1, 2019 |
| Spring 2020 (Scholarship Consideration Deadline) | August 31, 2019 |
| Spring 2020 (Final Deadline) | September 15, 2019 |
Visit our Application Deadlines page for more information.
APPLICATION CRITERIA- An undergraduate degree in engineering, math or hard science* from a regionally-accredited university. Satisfactory cumulative undergraduate GPA (grade point average)
- Satisfactory GRE test scores. All scores must be officially reported to the university directly by ETS.
- Satisfactory performance in previous coursework related to the intended major.
- *Students without a B.S. degree in Chemical Engineering must have a minimum of math and science coursework in:
- Calculus through Differential Equation
- General, Organic, and Physical Chemistry
- College-level, calculus-based Physics (Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Electricity & Magnetism)
USC GRADUATE APPLICATION
APPLICATION MATERIALS FOR ALL APPLICANTS Transcripts: Official transcripts from all colleges and universities attended.
GRE General Test: Satisfactory and valid test scores. Valid GRE scores must be dated within five years of the start of the intended application semester. The fall semester starts in August, and the spring semester starts in January. Official scores must be reported from ETS directly to USC using ETS school code 4852. A department code is not required.
Resume/CV (Required)
Statement of Purpose (Required): The statement of purpose should describe succinctly your reasons for applying to the proposed program at the Viterbi School of Engineering, your preparation for this field of study, study interests, future career plans, and other aspects of your background and interests which may aid the admissions committee in evaluating your aptitude and motivation for graduate study.
Letters of Recommendation (3 Required): Letters of recommendation should be from faculty or others (supervisors, professional colleagues, etc.) qualified to evaluate your potential for graduate study.
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS FOR INTERNATIONAL APPLICANTS English Language Proficiency: In addition to the general admission criteria listed above, international students whose first language is not English are required to take the
TOEFL or
IELTS examination to be considered a candidate for admission. There is no minimum TOEFL or IELTS score required for admission to the Viterbi School. For possible exemption from additional language requirements, you must achieve an Internet Based TOEFL (iBT) score of 90, with no less than 20 on each section or an IELTS score of 6.5, with no less than 6 on each band score. For more details on English Proficiency Criteria for the University of Southern California, please visit
USC Graduate Admission – Proficiency in English.
The following is an overview of the tuition & fees for graduate engineering students. Both on-campus and DEN@Viterbi students pay the same tuition.
TUITION
| Academic Year | Per Unit Rate | 3-unit Course | 4-unit Course |
|---|
| Fall 2019 - Summer 2020 | $2,075 | $6,225 | $8,300 |
| Fall 2020 - Summer 2021 | $2,075 | $6,225 | $8,300 |
TUITION & SAMPLE COURSE PLAN FOR 28 UNIT PROGRAM
STUDENT FEES
| Fee Description | Fee Amount | On-Campus | DEN@Viterbi |
|---|
| Mandatory Fees (approximate) | Fall 2019: $475
Spring 2020: $420 | | |
| Health Insurance | Fall 2019: $730
Spring 2020: $1,311 | | |
| Norman Topping Student Aid Fee | $8/semester | | |
| ENGR Computing Access Fee (On-Campus students) | $75/semester |
| |
| ENGR Computing Access Fee (DEN@Viterbi students) | $35/semester | |
|
| Exam Proctoring | $40 - $100 per course | | |
Detailed Information on Tuition & Fees
This program is also available online to professional engineers through DEN@Viterbi. Because the DEN@Viterbi program provides a fully equivalent academic experience, the degree a USC engineering student earns is the same whether they are on-campus or online.
If you are interested in beginning classes as a DEN@Viterbi student next semester, explore the requirements and steps to enrolling as a Limited Status Student.
Learn More About DEN@Viterbi
Detailed Program Curriculum and RequirementsSchedule of Classes
DEN@VITERBI ONLINE COURSE OFFERINGS
The following courses and program requirements serve as program planning for DEN@Viterbi students. Course offerings and availability are subject to change. Please consult with advisor if you have any questions.
| Required Courses |
| All courses are required – 15 units total. |
| CHE 501 | Modeling and Analysis of Chemical Engineering (3 units) |
| CHE 530 | Thermodynamics for Chemical Engineers (3 units) |
| CHE 540 | Viscous Flow (3 units) |
| CHE 541 | Mass Transfer (3 units) |
| CHE 542 | Chemical Engineering Kinetics (3 units) |
| CHE 544 | Heat Transmission (3 units) |
| Elective Courses |
| Elective courses must be approved by the department. Courses must be at the 500-level or above – 9 units total. |
| Seminar Courses |
| CHE 550a and CHE 550b are required for on-campus students. DEN students living in the Los Angeles area who are capable of coming to campus for the CHE 550a and CHE 550b seminar classes may do so. DEN students living outisde of Los Angeles will register in the on-campus section of CHE 590 and should contact the department for distance seminar instructions. |
Prerequisite Courses
|
| Students without a B.S. in Chemical Engineering must complete the following prerequisite courses at USC: Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics (CHE 330), Separation Operations (CHE 350), Kinetics & Reaction Engineering (CHE 442), Viscous Flow (CHE 443), and Heat and Mass Transfer (CHE 445, 446). Units from these courses cannot be applied towards the M.S. in Chemical Engineering. Some of the above pre-requisite courses may be waived on a case-by-case basis (based on individual student’s undergraduate curriculum) upon consultation with the Department Advisor. |
Please complete the following form for more information.
